Are employers required to pay employees for unworked holidays?

In Virginia, employers are not required to provide paid holidays. According to the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, employers are not obligated to provide holidays, vacations, or other leave with pay. In other words, employers are not required by law to provide holiday pay for holidays that are not worked. However, employers may choose to provide paid holidays if they wish. This could be included as part of the employment contract, or agreed upon between the employer and employee. The ability to provide such pay is completely at the discretion of the employer. Employers who decide to offer paid holidays are encouraged to develop a written policy that outlines the specifics of the holidays granted, the amount of holiday pay, and other provisions. Employees should also be made aware of the employer’s policy and the requirements associated with obtaining holiday pay. In Virginia, employers are, however, required to pay employees for any hours they have worked, including hours worked on holidays. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry requires employers to pay all wages due to their employees. So, if an employee works on a holiday, they must be paid for that work in accordance with the law.

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